By ABAYOMI OLATUNJI
LAGOS: The Lagos State Police Command has declared One Okpe Chinyere Francis and five others wanted in connection with the burning down of Orile- Iganmu Police Statio in Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State where several police officers were injured and weapons stolen.
Those declared wanted by the police for their involvement in the dastardly act alongside Okpe Chinyere Francis for their roles in the burning down of the Police Station located at Orile-Iganmu includes Tochukwu Ibe, Maxwell Ojemba, Ayo Tope, Salami Babatunde and Osaze Kingsley.
Investigation revealed that Okpe Chinyere Francis who operates a beer parlour in the area used his business place as a location where the youths meet to plan, discuss and strategize on how to go about the protest on a daily basis. The daily protest in Orile- Iganmu and across several locations in Nigeria was against police brutality.
The EndSARS protest which is on going in several States across the country is an agitation by Nigerian youths to stop police brutality which has become a phenomenon in the country claiming many lives of youths.
Report had it that Okpe Chinyere Francis’s Beer parlour was a take off point for the EndSARS protesters who marched through the streets to register their grievances against police brutality, extortion, killings, corrupt act by the police.
A reliable source who doesn’t want his name mentioned in print said October 2020 has been a busy month for Nigerian youths across the country as they have all engaged the Federal, State and even Local Government area, including the Inspector General Of Police on the need to end the activities of Special Anti-Robbery Squard (SARS) as their corrupt tendencies are putting the lives of youths in danger.
He noted that the gathering at Okpe Chinyere Francis beer palour daily was to discuss on their daily movement as the progress across the nation progresses in anticipation of a better nation.
He said youths in Orile-Iganmu continued their peaceful protest as they moved from Okpe Chinyere Francis beer palour through the streets and they were attacked by the police few meters from the beer parlour as several youths were hurt, injured and arrested for obstructing traffick and disturbing the neighbourhood.
“These peaceful protest turned violent as the youths became angry over the police attack and they move to the police station to rescue some youths arrested and there was a serious fracas leading to the burning down of the station. Am shocked to hear that some of us were declared wanted for stealing police weapons, injuring police officers. Am blood to say that these allegation are not true.
” Okpe Chinyere Francis beer parlour has been razed down by the police accusing him of masterminding the attack on their men at Orile Iganmu area as well as burning down their police station and stealing some of their weapons and ammunition”.
Speaking further our source said some of the youths arrested have been allegedly killed while those caught are seriously tortured as they are forced to confess to the crime.
The investigating police officers (IPO) Inspector Friday Omobolanle said Okpe Chinhere Francis is their target for allowing his property to be used to mobilise youths of the area. He noted that seven police officers were injured, weapons stolen, stressing that until these persons mention are arrested the society is no longer safe for all any more.
“We didn’t burn his beer parlour, we didn’t kill anybody and those arrested made a confessional statement implicating Okpe Chinyere Francis as the leader of the group. Some of our weapons stolen are yet to be recovered and it’s dangerous for the society. These boys are dangerous with the weapons, as our prime suspect Okpe Chinyere Francis is very Important to this investigation as his whereabouts is yet unknown to us for him to state his own side of the story to help get to the conclusion of the issue.
